


Someone to understand

by BloodthirstyMerc



Series: Commish cache [9]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Age Play Caregiver, Age Regression/De-Aging, Baby Boy, Caregiver, Caregiver Tony, Fluff, Gen, Non-Sexual Age Play, Non-sexual Daddy, Starker, but not really, peter is 18+, regressed peter, smol, soft, use of the word daddy in a non-sexual way, wow a sfw fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-04 06:31:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17893292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodthirstyMerc/pseuds/BloodthirstyMerc
Summary: Peter's been under a lot of stress and he just wants to fall into himself and be himself and have someone look after him.Tony, of course, if the perfect caregiver for the little spider.{{Starker Comm fill}}





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I help mod a Marvel Roleplay Server! It's pro all ships but is recently going through some changes so is still getting back on its feet.
> 
> It is 18+, so please don't join if you're not (you will be banned), but it is pro all ships :)
> 
> [Marvel RP server, come join the fun!](https://discord.gg/Kw8f89p)

Peter tries to force a wide smile as he enters the lab. It’s not easy with the tugging negative thoughts in the back of his head, trying to repeat all the shit that had been thrown onto him that day. Flash’s voice was so clear as the negative noise in his head, telling him that he was pathetic and useless, picking on him for all the things he knows the other wouldn’t dare say if he knew anything about who Peter Parker really was.

Tony’s stood over whatever he’s been working on for the last few days, his shoulders hunched in and his movements a little slow. He’s been a little down since the Avengers have started making arrangements with T’Challa, things that are ‘confidential’ and don’t concern Peter at all. Just more things kept away from him that he doesn’t understand. Things that probably shouldn’t make him feel as shitty as they do. But since he’s already had a bad day, and now he’s thinking about that-

“Hey kiddo, I didn’t hear you come in.” Tony’s voice is a sudden yet welcome noise in Peter’s head. He focuses on it, grasps it for dear life so it can shut out all the other noise in his head as he meets the man’s gaze. Peter tries to force that smile for Tony more as he drops his bag to the floor.

“Sorry, I should learn to knock I guess.” Peter shrugs, wringing his fingers together out of nervous habit. He just wanted to curl up in a corner somewhere and disappear for a few hours.

The want to ease into his little space had been bugging him for days, but with all the work he’s had at school, with Tony and being Spider-Man, he hasn’t had a second to just sit down and think for himself. It made him feel better when he could let that part of himself out. It was like suppressing the need to sleep, and it was as exhausting as that too.

Tony’s eyebrows furrow in a small frown and he steps up to Peter. His hand comes to rest lightly on Peter’s bicep, and the contact is more needed than the man would ever know. Peter tries not to focus on it though so that he doesn’t do anything stupid. Peter tries to keep up his smile, but he knows that Tony is seeing right through it anyway.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just had a really long day, lot of work to get done.” Peter tries to brush it off like he’s just tired. Tony doesn’t look like he believes him. He gives him a quick look over but gives a small nod of his head and drops his hand away.

“If you’ve got too much going on you can go home. I won’t mind.” Tony offers. It’s sweet, really it is. But Peter needs to keep himself distracted and focused on whatever work Tony’s going to give him.

“No, it’s fine. I got most of it done already, just was a lot.”

“If you’re sure.”

“Yep.” Peter gives a firm nod. He’s trying to convince himself just as much as he’s trying to convince Tony.

“Okay, let’s get this show on the road then.” He gestures to the project Peter’s been helping out with.

It was surreal that he got to work with Tony at all, regardless of the fact that he knows Tony’s going to favour him because of who he is. He tries not to let those thoughts linger too long, but they usually stick around when he’s having bad days. After all, if he wasn’t Spider-Man, Tony wouldn’t even know who he was.

\- - -

They’re barely ten minutes into working when constantly jabbing himself with certain tools to keep himself mentally on track is starting to fail him. He can’t keep up the façade anymore. He’s tired and upset and he just wants to shut down and not worry about being the Peter he’s been forced to become since the bite. He wants to be the Peter from before, who wasn’t burdened with responsibility and power. He tries poking himself with another screwdriver when Tony’s not looking, the sharp sting of the tip jabbing into his skin making his hand twitch away from the contact. But it's doing him no good. He drops the screwdriver to the benchtop, the loud clang of it almost startling him. He’s so out of it. He turns away from Tony before the man can meet his eyes.

“I gotta… I’ll be back,” Peter mutters in a rushed tone, already heading for the lab door. Tony doesn’t even comment on it and Peter’s left to zig-zag his way out of the lab and into a secluded room at the other end of the level of the building.

It’s a spare bedroom and he knows it’s there because he’s stayed over a few times and he’s pretty sure it’s unofficially his room. He shuts the door quietly behind himself, not sure if Tony would be able to hear it if he accidentally slammed it. He moves across the room, feeling the pent-up tears from his frustration building in his eyes as he slots himself in the space between the wall and the bed. He curls up there, pulling his knees into his chest as a sob finally escapes him.

He breaks down, sobbing loudly into the silent space around him. His throat feels like it’s closing up like he can’t breathe as he chokes on his own tears and snot. His nails dig into his palms, trying to force himself to just cry his problems out of his system rather than falling into his little space and actually fixing what’s wrong.

Peter cries until he feels bile rising in his throat, attempting to swallow it down as best as he can. It makes him feel like crying even more. He’s so pathetic, Flash was right. He can’t even cry without fucking that up. Peter tugs on his own hair as a substitute for slamming his fist into the wall. The last thing he needed was to punch a hole into anything. Because then he’d have to explain that somehow.

He’s obviously gone for far too long because there’s a timid knock at the door. It feels like he’s only been gone for a few minutes, but he’s not really sure. His chest aches, his throat is sore from swallowing back bile and he knows his whole face is red from crying. He doesn’t lift his head from being pressed into his knees, he’s been found, what’s he going to do; lie to Tony’s face and tell him he’s not having a mental breakdown right now?

The door opens slowly like Tony’s afraid to be entering.

“Hey kid, you okay?” Tony asks in the very low-lit room. The only real light coming from the open door and the small gap in the curtain. Peter’s sobs catch his attention, and before Peter can even try to think of even trying to respond, Tony’s dropping down to the floor beside him, hand instantly falling into his hair.

“Hey, it’s okay. What happened Pete?” He asks, his voice so calm and soft, caring, that it makes Peter’s chest tighten more. He just shakes his head. Tony pulls him in against his chest, combing his fingers through Peter’s hair.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you. I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere.” Tony whispers softly. “I’ll look after you.”

And Peter’s not sure why he says it, but it makes that coil in Peter’s body snap. His body shudders in Tony’s arms and he turns his head to press his face into Tony’s neck as he wraps his arms tightly around the man and holds onto him. Tony makes small hushing noises as he continues to stroke Peter’s hair, and he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from falling into his little space even if he tried.

“Y-you promise?” And his voice comes out so much smaller than it normally would. Tony’s hand pauses against his head, a weird noise creeping into the back of his throat.

He pulls Peter away from his body slightly to get a look at his face. Peter stares up at him, still snuffling and hiccupping from his crying, eyes puffy and nose snotty. Tony wipes the tears from under Peter’s eyes.

“You d-didn’t promise,” Peter mumbles and Tony’s never felt like he’s had more purpose than he does right now. Because he knows what this is, can tell in the way Peter’s curled in on himself like he wants to be smaller and the way his voice comes out.

“I promise kiddo. I’ll take care of you.” Tony says, keeping his voice as calm. Peter leans into him, pressing his face into Tony’s chest as he hugs him again. And the wave of protectiveness that washes over Tony as he holds Peter tightly against his chest almost leaves him feeling as if he should be breathless.

“Do you wanna tell me what happened Peter?” Tony asks again. He won’t push, but he’d like to know what he’s dealing with here.

“F-Flash was being mean,” Peter mumbles more like he’s constantly pouting. It warms Tony’s heart more than it should, but he’s wanted this for so long. If only he’d known, he would have allowed Peter to fall into this space as much as he needed.

“Did you tell anyone?”

“…no.” He sounds sheepish and it makes Tony want to slap Flash around for being an asshole to Peter.

“You know you should tell your teachers.” He says. It’s not quiet chastising, because Peter’s done nothing wrong. More of a stern reminder.

“…yes, daddy.”

Tony’s mind short circuits for a second and has to reboot. It made sense that Peter in his little space would call him that. Tony knows that Peter looks up to him, that the possibility of Peter seeing him as a father figure was there. He shoves his own thoughts and feelings aside for now. What he needed to worry about right now, was Peter.

“Okay, that’s good kiddo. There’s nothing we can do about that now though.” He sits Peter back in his lap so that the kid can look up at him. And he looks a lot better. More calm and relaxed, the tears have stopped but his face is still red and wet with the traces of his breakdown.

“Are you upset with me?” Peter asks, seemingly at random. But the slight quiver to his lip tells Tony that it’s something that’s bothering him.

“No, not at all darling.”

“…big me thought you would be.”

“I’m not upset Peter. You’ve done nothing wrong, okay?” Tony assures him. Peter gives a small nod and Tony lets him nuzzle back in against his chest.

“Alright, now. How about we go downstairs and get you something to drink? After all that crying you need to stay hydrated, baby.” Tony offers. Peter nods again and makes to crawl from Tony’s lap, only to stop himself.

“Can you carry me, daddy?”

“Of course, darling.” Tony presses a kiss to the top of Peter’s head as he pulls him back up against his body. And it’s a little awkward with the fact that Peter isn’t exactly small, but he’s not too heavy so it’s not that bad.

Tony heads down for the kitchen, and he’s never been happier that no one else is around at the moment, all of them out of the country for the time being so there’s no fear of Peter ending up in a situation that makes him feel bad or uncomfortable. Tony sits Peter on the counter and looks around for a cup. He gets a straw as well, thinking that’ll make Peter feel better. He holds out the cup of water and Peter instantly reaches for it with both hands.

“Got it?”

“Yes,” Peter says it proudly as Tony lets go of it and he brings the straw to his mouth and starts suckling away happily at the water. Tony leans against the counter, looking up at Peter with a soft smile.

“Are you hungry, I can cook you something if you’d like?”

“Yes please,”

“Okay sweetheart.” Tony lightly ruffles Peter’s hair before he steps away and starts looking for something, he thinks the kid would like. A pleasant and warm feeling settles in his chest when he hears Peter humming softly to himself, kicking his feet back and forth.

Tony had never let himself indulge in looking after someone like this before, for so many different reasons. He’s just happy that Peter trusts him enough to be himself around him.

He also hopes that when Peter comes out of this, he doesn’t feel bad about it.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony taps his fingers against the kitchen counter as he waits for the party pies he’d found shoved in the back of the freezer to finish cooking in the microwave. He could have put them in the oven, but Peter had wanted them microwaved, saying that he liked them soft over hard from being baked.

He’d also found some applesauce for Peter to snack on while he waited. Tony was watching him from the corner of his eye as he sucked on the spoon in his mouth. He was looking around the kitchen like he hadn’t seen it before; full of wonder and interest. It was cute.

The microwave beeping snaps tony from his trance and he opens it up, pulling the plate of pies out. He unwraps them from the paper towel they’d been in and sets the plate down beside Peter.

“Wait for them to cool a bit before you have any buddy.”

Peter nods his head, pulling the spoon from between his lips. He dips it back into the little bowl of applesauce, scooping out the remaining of the puree from it before he shoves the spoon back into his mouth. The corner of Tony’s mouth turns up in a slight smile.

“You really like that huh? Even big Peter likes snacking on it.”

“Tafsty,” Peter mumbles around the spoon in his mouth.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

Peter pulls the spoon from his mouth, swallowing his food. “Sorry, Daddy.”

“Thank you,” Tony hums as he takes one of the pies for himself. He’d heated up more than he knew Peter would want for that exact reason. He has to blow it slightly before he tries biting into the slightly soggy pastry.

Peter goes for one of the pies himself and carefully holds it between his fingers, around the edge of the lid like he’s trying to minimise the amount of skin to pie contact ratio. He blows the pie far more than Tony would have expected from him before he bites into it. Tony doesn’t even see any steam come out of it.

“So, what do you wanna do, sweetheart?” Tony asks when Peter’s nibbling on the final pie.

“Can we play?” Peter’s eyes show how innocent the question is meant to be, yet Tony can’t help that his mind makes a stupid leap in logic that he has to try desperately to ignore.

“Sure, if we can find something.” Tony manages. Peter makes a noise around his mouthful but waits until he’s chewed and swallowed before he actually speaks.

“There’s Lego’s in my bag,” Peter states like he’d been prepared for that. Tony takes in a steady and easy breath.

“Okay baby.” And Tony picks Peter up from the counter without even thinking about it and places him on his feet. Peter grasps his hand instantly before he can have a chance to pull it away. Tony rubs his thumb over Peter’s knuckles and together they head back upstairs to the lab.

Tony lets Peter dig around in his bag for the Lego, pulling out a little box only a moment later.

“It’s Star Wars.” Peter beams, holding it up to show it off. Tony fondly thinks about what a nerd Peter is but keeps the comment to himself.

“Do you want to build it in here or your room?”

“Room,”

So, Tony takes his hand again and they head down to the room where Tony had found Peter earlier. He pulls the door almost completely closed and follows Peter onto the bed where he’s dumping the contents of the box out onto the duvet.

“Have you built this one before?” Tony asks as he opens up the instruction book.

“Nope,” Peter’s pushing the pieces around, putting them in piles of size difference. Not how Tony would do it, or how Peter would normally, but Tony isn’t going to correct him on it.

“Alright,” Tony sets the booklet down on the bed so that the instructions are the right way up for Peter. “What do you need me to do buddy?”

“Help if I get stuck, and make sure the pieces are together properly,” Peter says, nodding his own head as he takes the first two pieces and presses them together.

“You’re probably better at this than I am,” Tony notes with a slight chuckle. Peter looks up at him with a wide grin, giggling himself. The sound leaves a warm and fuzzy feeling in Tony’s chest.

“Lego’s are easier than what you make. They’re like adult Lego.”

Tony snorts and turns the page for Peter when he’s finished with the instructions on those ones.

“Is that how you see my work?”

“Yep,” Peter hums, slightly distracted by his building. Tony shakes his head fondly and lets Peter continue his work in silence.

Tony only has to help Peter out once with making sure a few of the fiddlier pieces are together properly. But besides that, he’s able to get it built pretty quickly, showing it off proudly like Tony hadn’t been watching him assemble it.

Peter just going on about some detail to the little fighter when a yawn creeps up on him, and he continues to try talking through it. Tony chews his bottom lip to stop himself from chuckling.

“Sound a bit tired there, Peter.”

Peter nods his head, rubbing his eye with the back of his hand. Crying like Peter had earlier would make anyone tired. Tony leans forward slightly and pats Peter’s knee.

“Do you wanna have a nap? I can stay with you if you’d like?” Tony offers.

Peter thinks on it for a while, managing to semi stifle another yawn that makes Tony feel like he needs to yawn.

“Promise you’ll stay?”

“I promise baby,” Tony assures.

Peter makes a content noise and collects up the remaining spare pieces of Lego’s and puts them along with the instructions and completed fighter back into the box before he crawls up the bed and puts them on the nightstand. He moves back into the centre of the bed and curls up on his side, nuzzling his face into the pillow.

Tony shuffles up the bed to sit level with Peter, reaching out to carefully run his fingers through Peter’s hair. Peter makes another noise and lifts his head a little to look up at Tony.

“Big me had a hard day.”

“I know baby, it’s okay.”

Peter closes his eyes and his hand comes up to fist the pillow a little, bunching the pillowcase in his hand. Tony continues to lightly run his fingers through Peter’s hair until his breathing evens out and he drifts off to sleep. Tony stays where he is, having no intention of going anywhere.

He can’t have been sat there watching over Peter for more than five minutes before his phone is going off. He’s quick to pull it from his pocket and silence it before it wakes Peter. Ross’s name is on the screen and he considers ignoring it, but Ross hasn’t tried contacting him in weeks, so he knows that it’s probably something important.

He reluctantly pulls away from Peter and gets up from the bed as carefully as he can, so he doesn’t disturb Peter at all. He leaves the room, closing the door quietly behind him before he answers the call.

“This better be good, Ross,” Tony mutters, making sure the displeasure is clear in his voice that he isn’t in the mood for any form of bullshit right now.

“You and I both know that I wouldn’t contact you without a reason, Stark,” Ross responds, sounding just as snarky as Tony.

“Just because you have a reason doesn’t mean it’s good.”

There’s a slight pause in which Tony can picture Ross rolling his eyes. He lets out a sigh and Tony leans back against the wall as he waits for his answer.

“Listen, there are a few things we need to discuss and I’m not going to enjoy this any more than you are.”

“I’m busy right now.”

“Your toys can wait. I only need an hour.”

Tony clicks his tongue and averts his gaze to the closed door, thinking about Peter, curled up in his bed, hanging onto the promise of tony being there when he wakes up.

“You have thirty minutes,” Tony grumbles as he pushes off the wall and heads down the hall to his lab.

“Fine,” Ross reluctantly agrees.

Tony closes the lab doors behind him before he sets himself up at his desk. He mutes the call.

“Hey, Friday?”

“Yes, sir?” The AI’s smooth voice responds.

“Let me know if Peter wakes up please.”

“Of course, sir.” And she falls silent again like she’s not everywhere around him and the tower, always listening and always watching.

Tony unmutes the call again and lets out an overly exaggerated sigh.

“Okay, hit me.”

\- - -

Tony’s frustrated and pissed. He’d given Ross half an hour, and here he was, almost fifty minutes later, still getting his ear chewed off. He had tried to tell Ross that he was done, that they were finished with this discussion and yet, the man insisted they finish up. Tony was about ready to give the other a piece of his mind when suddenly Friday’s muting the call herself and her voice is cutting in.

“I’m sorry to interrupt sir, but Peter is awake, and he seems distressed.”

Tony snaps out of his bored daze, body going rigid as he reaches for his phone and unmutes the call again.

“I have to go,”

“Tony-”

He hangs up before Ross can even argue, pocketing his phone instantly as he jumps up from his seat and rushes out of the room. He heads straight for Peter’s room, pushing the door open right away and looking over to the bed. Peter’s curled up against the headboard, clutching the pillow to his chest tightly as weak sobs escape him. Tony’s heart sinks in his chest and he quickly moves over to the bed, sitting down on the edge so he’s not too close just in case Peter doesn’t want him to touch him just yet.

“Hey darling, it’s okay. I’m here Peter.”

“Y-you left,” Peter hiccups, his voice weak and wreaked from his crying already. Tony’s chest aches more from the look of absolute distrust in Peter’s eyes. He pulls himself up onto the bed, moving closer to the younger.

“I’m so sorry. I know I promised, but I had to…” Tony stops, looking Peter over before he shakes his head. “It’s not an excuse, I should have been here. I’m so sorry baby.”

“W-why did you leave?”

“I had to take a call. I shouldn’t have. I should have stayed with you.” Tony shuffles close enough to be able to run his fingers through Peter’s soft hair. Peter closes his eyes and seems to relax into the feeling, his breath still hitching slightly.

“I’m sorry Peter,” Tony repeats. Peter shakes his head and reaches his arm out for Tony. He moves up against the headboard and lets Peter curl into his chest, nuzzling his face into the crook of Tony’s neck.

“D-don’t do it again.” Peter mumbles. Tony wraps his arms tightly around Peter’s body, holding him tight against him.

“I won’t baby, I promise I won’t. And I mean that. From now on, it’s just us, okay?”

“Okay,” Peter mumbles softly, lifting his hands to grip the front of Tony’s shirt in a firm hold like he’s making sure Tony really can’t go anywhere this time.

Tony leans down and presses a soft kiss to the top of Peter’s forehead as he rubs slow circles against his back. Peter continues to look up at him through his watery eyes. Tony offers him a warm smile that has Peter’s lip twitching up into a slight curve. Tony just presses another kiss to Peter’s head and lets himself relax under the warm weight of Peter laying against him.

Peter eventually drifts off back to sleep against Tony’s chest. His body falls limp against the man’s, and it warms Tony’s heart further. He stays where he is, without any intention to move as he rubs Peter’s back soothingly.

He nearly drifts off to sleep himself from how calm the situation makes him feel when a thought suddenly springs into his head. His hand pauses against Peter’s back as he turns his gaze to look down to the kid. His face is soft and peaceful as he sleeps, and Tony wants nothing more than to be able to share these moments with Peter for as long as he can.

He shifts slightly to pull his phone from his pocket and flicks through his contacts hastily before he calls Pepper’s number. He continues to rub Peter’s back again.

“Hi, Tony,”

“Hey Hun, are you still out by any chance?” Tony asks, keeping his voice soft.

“I am. Why are you whispering?”

“Peter’s asleep.”

“What?” Pepper sounds just as confused as she should.

“Pepper, you know me better than anyone and I trust you more than I trust any other person I know, so I’m hoping you can keep this between us for now.” Tony starts.

“Of course, Tony,”

“Peter’s a little.”

“A little? As in age regression?”

“Yeah,” Tony bites into his bottom lip as he looks back down to Peter’s soft face. He knew that Pepper would understand this, would understand _him_.

“I’m guessing that was an exciting discovery for you.”

“It was. He’s… perfect Pepper.”

Pepper lets out a soft chuckle before there’s a brief pause. Tony lightly runs his fingers through the front of Peter’s hair.

“So… what do you need from me?” Pepper finally asks after a moment.

“Would you be able to see about filing a form for me to have custody as his caregiver?” Tony asks. There’s a moment of silence as Pepper takes in what that information means.

“I can, but May will have to know first.” She points out. May was Peter’s legal guardian, but Tony had never come across anything indicating that she was his caregiver, otherwise, he would have known about Peter being a little a long time ago.

“I’m not sure she knows, and I don’t want to be the one to bring that up to her if Peter isn’t ready to tell her.”

“Okay. You’ll have to talk to him when he’s out of his little space. I can get the files for you, but I don’t want anything filled out until it has been discussed at the least between you and Peter.”

“Of course,” Tony nods, feeling excitement bubble in his stomach. Even if he had to work to keep this quiet from Peter’s Aunt, he knew that Peter would want this. After all, having a caregiver was something that all littles did crave, that most were unable to have. And with the way Peter has been with him today, Tony doubts that Peter _won’t_ want to have Tony look after him.

“Thank you,” Tony says once he’s out of his own thoughts again.

“There’s no need for that Tony, you know I just want what’s best for you. And if that’s Peter, I won’t stand in your way.”

Tony swallows thickly, feeling his chest squeeze itself from her words.

“Seriously Pepper, thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Not much I’d imagine.” She teases.

“Hey now, I’m not that helpless.”

“Right, of course not.”

Tony’s smile softens and he tilts his head to press a light kiss to Peter’s hair again.

“I owe you.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time. I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay,”

Tony pauses, listening as she hangs up before he drops his phone to the bed. He leans back against the headboard, looking up at the ceiling of the room. He can’t get the smile off his face. Peter was going to be his little, regardless if they officially took custody or not. Tony planned on staying with him for as long as he could. He planned to look after Peter whenever he needed. There was nothing else he wanted more.

\- - -

Tony wakes up god knows how many minutes or hours later when in his sleep, he’d moved his arm only to find the body he’d been holding was gone. It jolts him from sleep, and he looks around the room, a little dazed from being asleep as he tries to locate Peter.

He’s sat at the end of the bed, with his back to Tony as he fiddles with the little fighter they’d made together. His hair looks like he’d at least tried to tame it and his shoulders are straightened up. Tony groans softly and rubs his face as he sits up.

“Hey sweetheart, you okay?” He asks. Peter pauses before he lets out a light chuckle, not a giggle or a soft laugh, no a proper chuckle before he turns to look over at Tony.

“Is that going to stick?” Peter asks. His voice is back to normal and there’s a slight tugging at his chest as he realises that Peter’s back to himself, no longer in his little space. But it was also somewhat nice to know that Peter was okay.

“I thought maybe you’d still be regressed.” Tony offers as he stretches his arms out, his shoulders cracking slightly.

“No… I’m sorry that I… fell into that on you.”

“It’s okay Pete.”

“I’m lucky, that it was you and you were… you knew what to do. Thank you. For looking after me.”

Tony moves forward on the bed and rests his hand lightly on Peter’s thigh, his gaze momentarily falling to the Lego in Peter’s hands before he meets his eye again.

“It was the greatest pleasure of my life.”

Peter scoffs softly, biting back his smile as he looks down to his hands.

“Pepper stopped by, she wanted to make sure everything was okay. She told me about the custody. I… May doesn’t really know. I think maybe she has an idea, but she won’t ask until I’m ready to talk about it. She’d be okay with it if I told her.”

“Is that what you want?” Tony asks. Peter’s smile widens and he lifts his gaze once again to the older male.

“More than anything.”

Tony’s heart feels like it constricts, and he leans into Peter to press a chaste kiss to the top of his head. Peter leans into the feeling a little, meeting Tony’s eye when he pulls back again.

“You’re an amazing caregiver Tony.”

“I wouldn’t say that. I did leave you alone,”

“No Tony, it’s okay. I saw your phone lighting up, Ross is pissed. I get it, so don’t stress over it.”

“I really promise it won’t happen again.”

“Oh, I know, and you better keep to that because little me can still throw you across the room without problem,” Peter states smugly.

Tony chuckles and ruffles Peter hair roughly which pulls a genuine laugh from the kid. The easy, calm, and almost domestic nature of it all makes Tony’s heart feel incredibly full.

He wouldn’t give up the feeling for the world.

**Author's Note:**

> [Check out my Tumblr](http://bloodthirstymerc.tumblr.com/about_merc) for more of me and earlier updates! It'd mean the world to me and would really help me out.


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